A big investment in the future of London's manufacturing sector was announced Friday, but what about the jobs needed now?
The cash, announced by MPs Ed Holder and Susan Truppe will give businesses the opportunity to access top notch research and gain an edge on global competition.
"Our government will be investing $5 million in NRC London as part of the National Research Council's new 'Factory of the Future' program to support London manufacturers in becoming more competitive. That will help create manufacturing jobs here in London," Holder says.
He added that the investment in the National Research Council (NRC) office in London, will help to speed up production and improve efficiencies at multiple sites.
But what about those who need a job in manufacturing right now? Can any political party make a promise of jobs?
Holder admits 30,000 London families rely on manufacturing, yet many are still looking for work. In fact, there were long lines at a job fair for a St. Thomas manufacturing plant over the weekend.
He says, "I say to those folks, don't stop looking, utilize the services available, knock on doors around here, because people are hiring."
But London NDP MP Irene Mathyssen can't make sense of Holder's numbers.
"We have lost 6,000 jobs in London alone since [the Conservatives] took over, and 1,000 in the last six months. I don't know where they've been."
Still, those businesses who will benefit from the federal announcement say while new jobs aren't immediate, the money for research will help down the road.
Ron Harris of Jones Packaging says, "It's always difficult to say about the short term, but certainly I can see that helping us in the long-term. Companies our size, as much as we like to do things in house...are just not of the size to be able to go it alone."
